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4
TWIST OF FATE
Somehow Knox found himself walking into a restaurant on the water Friday after work, waiting to meet Sage Mancini for dinner and a drink. Or a drink and maybe dinner.
He was pretty sure he was going to mess it up somehow and had to go back and reread the email twice sent to him yesterday.
She’d answered his question about any renovations in the place and then tossed out getting together after work tonight to catch up.
He didn’t know what the fuck “catch up” meant to a woman.
A guy, it’d be a beer. A woman, could be anything from that and more or nothing else.
He was waiting by the door rather than the bar, and a minute later, Sage came. She had on light-colored jeans that looked a little baggy on her, but he knew that was the style now. Her short-sleeved multi-color shirt was fitted and tucked in at the waist. She had a pair of teal pumps on her feet that matched some teal in her shirt.
She looked stylish like he’d always thought when they were in school. Not over the top but a comfortable fashion style that not many could pull off.
Her hair was pulled away from her face, flowing down her back, and had a slight wave to it.
The makeup on her face was minimal but added a depth of dimension to her eyes, making them pop out a bit more.
“Hi,” she said. “Am I late?”
“Right on time,” he said. “I was early. I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t going to show up.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that,” she said.
They walked to the hostess. “Table for two or the bar?”
He looked at Sage to make that decision. This would give him a better idea of what the night would bring.
“A table is good for me,” she said. “You?”
“Whatever the lady wants,” he said.
The hostess grinned. “Every man should say that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. Could be that was his problem years ago. He did what he wanted and didn’t care so much about going out of his way.
He watched enough men bend over backward for his mother and how they ended up getting shit on. No way. Not doing it.
Or maybe that was more his thinking when he was younger, but the older he got and the longer he remained single, he started to doubt his actions.
If anyone knew what he was worth, he was positive he’d be attracting more women that he wouldn’t want in his life.
When they were seated, Sage said, “Please don’t be that way.”
“What way?” he asked.
“The ‘whatever the woman wants’ way,” she said, smiling. “I know there are a lot of women out there who would eat it up, but not me. I had a man like that and hated it. Or looking back, I should have hated it more and didn’t. Doesn’t matter. I think women respect a man a little more when they have a voice. When the man and the woman each have a voice.” She blushed. “Sorry. There I go giving my opinion when I normally don’t do that.”
“No,” he said. “I want to hear it. I happen to agree with what you just said. It’s refreshing to hear a woman feel the same way.”
“Phew,” she said, wiping her hand across her forehead. “I thought I made a mess of it just now. I always seem to end up on the wrong side of everything even though I try to stay out of things.”
“I doubt that,” he said.
“You’d be surprised,” she said drily. “Anyway, I’m dying to know how you ended up in Mystic.”
